Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-07-22
Weaver's Speech.

We listened, with some satisfaction, TO TIA
speech of Gen. Weaver, of Iowa, delivered cn
a store-box at corner of Main and Jefferson
Sts., last Tuesday evening. Weaver is gen-
tleman and student, and his speech-con-
pared to the blatherskite harangue OF Tom.
Armstrong in the Opera House some weeks
aeo-was as the scent of the rose to the
stencil Of a sewer.
He began by saying that he believed that
the mass of the people Of this country are
honest in their political convictions and
wanted to do what was right and what was
best for themselves. That is true, and We
will do so as fast as We discover the methods
of so doing.
He then spoke of the conditions of the Ia
boring classes of Great Britain, Germany,
and other European countries where all the
land and capital are owned by the favored
few, and the masses live in poverty, and in
quired whether or no influences were at work
in this country that would eventually bring
about similar results; and to prove that they
were cited the remarkable rise In the for
tunes of the Vanderbilt family of New York.
Exactly similar conditions cannot exist iu
this country or in France, where the people
are freeholders, but that something should
be done to prevent the accumulation of these
vast fortunes we all know, and will DO it
when we learn how.
His remarks On the National Bank ques-
rion were rather misleading. That was an
evil growing out of the war, and 1t will die
a natural death, in course Of time. State
Bank charters to-day are preferable to those
of National Banks. Some of the largest con-
Germs in the country are returning their Ma
tional charters and taking those of the State
in which they are in. Both the Butler Saw
ings Bank and John Berg & Co., could get
National charters tomorrow, if they wanted
them but they don't want them.
His remarks on the land-grant evil were
good. That evil also. started during the war
when the whole North fearing the secession
of the Pacific States, and believing the c0un-
try almost from Missouri to the Sacramento
valleys to be one vast desert, were in favor of
a railroad across t..e Continent, cost what it
would. But we have since learned that the
vast plains can be made productive, and the
evil would have been ended long ago but for
the disgraceful action of the U. ). Senate.
His ridicule of the Interstate Commerce
Bill was good and amusing. That law is, at
present, tie great "What is it" of the national
laws.
The best part Of his speech, however, was
his denunciation of the United States Senate.
Fifty wears ago when Webster expounded the
Constitution and when Clay analyzed the in
terests Of the Nation in the Senate, and again
twenty five years ago when the champions of
Union and Freedom held forth there, ii was
an honor next to the Presidency, to be a
United st ates Senator. But now, the actions
of lot Of narrow minded and selfish million
aires, railroad attorneys. and practical poll
ticians who have obtained a majority there,
have inundated that honor. Men hold seats in
the Senate who are utterly unfit for the office,
either in spirit, capacity or character, and
our only remedy is an amendment to the Ma
tional Constitution making U. s. Senators
elective by the people of the State and not
by the State Legislatures. This is the great
est reform at present needed by the Nation
and until it is accomplished, all legislation
in the interest of the people and against mo-
nopoiies will be blocked.
Weaver woua up by advertising paper
that he and another man are printing in
Iowa, a matter he should have left to his
friends, as it lessened the effect of his speech,
| but the speech, as whole, was good.